From Community Prequel

Preserving and Promoting Freedom of the Press: An International Symposium

Across the world, the right to capture and disseminate news and other forms of media is under attack. The lives of journalists and photographers are on the line as well as the state of democracy and freedom around the world.

Please join Tisch College of Civic Life and The Institute for Global Leadership at the “Preserving and Promoting Freedom of the Press” symposium to discuss the state of freedom of the press on a global scale, bringing in the perspectives of journalists, leaders, and advocates in the field. The symposium will include four panels over three days with refreshments to follow each event.

This three-day symposium will include reporters from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, contributors to the Washington Post, National Geographic, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Time and The Guardian and leaders and analysts from the Committee to Protect Journalists, PEN America, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, the International Women’s Media Foundation, Alliance for Securing Democracy, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and many other organizations.

View speaker bios and additional information.

Symposium Schedule:

Thursday, October 13, 2022, 7:00pm, Cabot 206
Welcome and Introduction
Welcome: Taina McField, Associate Dean for Strategy at Tisch College
Introduction: Gowri Kashyap, South Asian Regional Committee

“Freedom of the Press under Authoritarian Regimes”
Panelists: Rana Ayyub, Fahim Abed, Adefemi Akinsanya, Olga Churakova (virtual), David Maas, Sherif Mansour (virtual)
Moderator: Emma Jennings, Oslo Scholars/Middle East Research Group
Refreshments afterward

Watch "Freedom of the Press under Authoritarian Regimes" on Zoom

Friday, October 14, 2022, 3:00pm, Cabot 206
“Journalism in an Era of Misinformation & Disinformation”
Panelists: Matthew Cooper, Tiffany Hsu, Allison Lee (virtual), Ilya Lozovsky (virtual), Bret Schafer (virtual), Michael Zwirn
Moderator: Paloma Delgado, Latin American Committee/EPIIC
Refreshments afterward 

Watch "Journalism in the Era of Misinformation and Disinformation" on Zoom

Saturday, October 15, 9:30am, Barnum 008
“Coffee Chat with Christina Goldbaum”
Panelist: Christina Goldbaum, NYT correspondent in the Kabul, Afghanistan
Moderator: Francisco Salazar, EPIIC

Watch "Coffee Chat with Christina Goldbaum" on Zoom

Saturday, October 15. 10:00am, Barnum 008
“Chronicling War and Occupation”
Panelists: Mike Eckel, Moises Saman, Justin Shilad (virtual), Lauren Wolfe
Introductory Presentation: Ron Haviv, VII (virtual)
Moderator: Riya Matt and Janya Gambhir, SARC 

Watch "Chronicling War and Occupation" on Zoom

Saturday, October 15, 2022, 11:30am, Barnum 008
“Women in Journalism Around the World”
Panelists: Molly Ferrill (virtual), Elisa Lees Muñoz, Vivian Salama, Nichole Sobecki (virtual)
Moderator: Carolina Hidalgo-McCabe, Middle East Research Group/EPIIC and Samantha Karlin, NeuroLeadership Institute Facilitator

Watch "Women in Journalism Around the World" on Zoom

Lunch: 1:15pm, Curtis Hall

This wonderful symposium designed by the student leaders and membership of the current vibrant groups of the Institute for Global Leadership with the mentorship and critical support of Heather Barry, represents the first in what I hope will be a series of ongoing quality programs resonant of the 30 years that I recognized such student work during my directorship. I could not be more proud of the continuity that this autonomous student work represents.

  • Sherman Teichman Founding Director Emeritus The Institute for Global Leadership

Don't miss it - register today for American Complicity in the Israeli Occupation!

Don't miss our special educational series on American Complicity in the Israeli Occupation. 

 

Our first conversation, with Peter Beinart, contributing opinion writer at The New York Times, and Nizar Farsakh, Founding Chair of the Museum of the Palestinian People. Will be held on:

 

Monday, October 3
7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT. 


If you want to attend but can’t make the time, a recording will be made available for everyone who registers in advance. 

Talk 2: The Evangelical Community

 

featuring:
Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis and Lisa Sharon Harper

 

In what ways, both public and private, is the American Evangelical Community supporting and sustaining the Occupation?

Tuesday, October 18, 2:00pm ET / 11:00am PT

 Talk 3: Midterm Elections

featuring:
Matt Duss, Foreign Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders

 

How will this upcoming American election influence the future of Israel, Palestine, and the Occupation?

 

Wednesday, November 2, 2:00pm ET / 11:00am PT

P.S: We are excited to share that this past year, CfP launched the Palestinian Freedom School (Madraset al-Huriyaa). Our current class is composed of 26 emerging Palestinian activists ages 17 to 28. These young leaders come from all over the West Bank to learn creative non-violent methods, organize mass action, and advocate for the Palestinian cause. This month, the cohort met for the fourth time and our young leaders gathered in Ramallah for an intensive training on using social media as a powerful tool for nonviolent civil resistance.  

CfP was able to launch the Palestinian Freedom School because of your generosity, compassion, and commitment to peace. We are so grateful that you are a part of the Combatants for Peace family and we can't wait to see you soon! 

In solidarity and hope,

 Beth Schuman

 Executive Director
 American Friends of Combatants for Peace

The Oslo Freedom Forum is Coming to NY on Oct 3rd!

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is excited to announce the Oslo Freedom Forum in New York (OFF in NY), a half-day event at Town Hall in Manhattan, featuring theater talks and performances by the world’s top human rights activists and dissidents, followed by a special Speaker Gala.

Join us to hear first-hand stories from intrepid human rights defenders, and meet a community of philanthropists, technologists, investors, artists, journalists, policymakers, and activists aiming to make the world a more free, open, and peaceful place.

The Speaker Gala will take place at the Current (Chelsea Piers), following the theater program. The Gala will be a unique opportunity to spend time with OFF speakers while enjoying additional talks, performances, and fine dining.

This year's program will include an incredible lineup of human rights defenders who are promoting freedom around the world, including:

  • Garry Kasparov, Russian Chess Grandmaster, pro-democracy advocate, & Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation (HRF)

  • Yeonmi Park, North Korean defector & expert on the country’s black market economy

  • Masih Alinejad, Iranian journalist & activist

  • Leopoldo López, Venezuelan opposition leader & democracy activist

  • Berta Valle, Nicaraguan journalist & pro-democracy activist

  • Carine Kanimba, Daughter of imprisoned "Hotel Rwanda" hero Paul Rusesabagina

  • Fatou Jallow, Gambian anti-rape activist & survivor

  • Oleksandra Matviichuk, Ukrainian human rights lawyer & head of the Center for Civil Liberties

  • Chemi Lhamo, Tibetan activist & community organizer

  • Anna Kwok, Exiled Hong Kong activist

  • Jason Rezaian, Washington Post Global Opinions Journalist

Event Tickets

General tickets ($25 Theater Pass and $10 Student Pass) are available for purchase on Ticketmaster.

Speaker Gala tickets ($1,500 single and $10,000 8-person table) are available for purchase on Eventbrite. You may also sponsor students and activists to attend OFF in NY on this page. Gala tickets include access to the theater program.

See what it’s like to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum in New York

More details about the event and participating speakers will be released soon. In the meantime, you can find additional information at oslofreedomforum.com and on Twitter and Instagram.

For questions about tickets and registration, please e-mail registration@hrf.org.

If you are interested in becoming an official sponsor for OFF in NY, please e-mail sponsorships@hrf.org. 

If you are interested in attending as a member of the media, please e-mail media@hrf.org.

New HRF Podcasts: August Recap

New HRF Podcasts: August Recap

Dissidents and Dictators is the Human Rights Foundation (HRF)'s podcast series that serves as a storytelling platform for some of the world's bravest activists, artists, policymakers, business leaders, and technologists. Throughout the month of August, we have released a number of new episodes, including:

Episode #49 - From Rhetoric to Action: Bukele’s Erosion of Democracy in El Salvador

After nearly two decades of democracy, El Salvador’s democratic institutions find themselves under siege. President Bukele has achieved extreme popularity, fueled by populist rhetoric and the adept use of social media. In this episode, El Farojournalist Nelson Rauda discusses how Bukele has abused emergency powers, eroded the independence of the judiciary, and paved the way for his re-election, in direct violation of El Salvador’s constitution.

Episode #50 - #freesadhan

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, we hear from Areej al-Sadhan, a Saudi activist and sister of Red Crescent humanitarian worker Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, who disappeared during a 2018 crackdown on critics and activists in Saudi Arabia. Areej remains outspoken on the ill-treatment of her brother and other activists, and has publicly denounced Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s brutal human rights abuses.

Episode #51 - Rally for Belarus

Since 1994, Alexander Lukashenko has ruled Belarus with an iron fist, turning the country into an authoritarian state where opposition figures and independent journalists are routinely harassed, jailed, and assassinated. In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, we hear from three Belarusian activists who have spent years fighting corruption under Lukashenko’s regime and rallying for a free and democratic Belarus. Guests include:

  • Tatsiana Khomich, Belarusian Activist & Sister of Political Prisoner Maria Kalesnikava

  • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of democratic Belarus

  • Veronica Tsepkalo, Chair of Belarus Women's Foundation

Episode #52 - Youth Mobilizing in Exile: Standing Up Against the CCP

Over the past several decades, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has relentlessly attacked fundamental human rights in order to advance its political goals. This episode explores how youth in the diaspora are grappling with the Chinese government’s abuses in their respective homelands, and mobilizing in exile. Guests include:

  • Mustafa Aksu, Program Manager at the Uyghur Human Rights Project

  • Babur Ilchi, Program Director at the Campaign for Uyghurs

  • Tenzin Yangzom, Grassroots Coordinator at Students for a Free Tibet

  • Anna Kwok, Strategy and Campaign Director at Hong Kong Democracy Council

Episodes are available on all major streaming platforms

New HRF Podcasts: July Recap

New HRF Podcasts: July Recap

Dissidents and Dictators is the Human Rights Foundation (HRF)'s podcast series that serves as a storytelling platform for some of the world's bravest activists, artists, policy-makers, business leaders, and technologists. Throughout the month of July, we have released a number of new episodes, including:

Episode #44 - Fatma Karume, Stopping Tanzania’s “Bulldozer” President

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, Tanzanian lawyer Fatma Karume recounts her fight against Tanzania's late president, John Magufuli. Karume co-founded the Center for Strategic Litigation, and in response to her activism, her office was bombed and she faced disbarment. Karume has turned to Twitter to educate the public about human rights violations and raise funds for political prisoners.

Episode #45 - Evgenia Kara-Murza, A Letter from Vladimir Kara-Murza

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, Evgenia Kara-Murza speaks on behalf of her husband, former OFF speaker and Russian opposition leader, Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was arbitrarily arrested in Moscow. Evgenia Kara-Murza is the project manager of the Free Russia Foundation, an international nonprofit that supports civil society and democratic development in Russia.

Episode #46 - How Democracies Enable Corrupt Regimes (And How To Fix It)

Recent events have thrust corruption into the spotlight. In 2021, United States President Biden recognized corruption as a threat to national security, months before the release of the Pandora Papers. In 2022, sanctions on Russian oligarchs have shown how much of these authoritarian regimes’ ill-gotten gains are hidden in democracies. This episode discusses how corrupt regimes launder their money, and the ongoing legislative efforts in the U.S. to address this issue. Guests include:

  • Casey Michel, Investigative Journalist & Author of American Kleptocracy

  • Paul Massaro, Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Helsinki Commission

Episode #47 - Hong Kong Today

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has continuously tried to suppress Hong Kong’s civil society, and the national security law — alarming legislation aimed at eradicating the pro-democracy movement — has been the final “nail in the coffin.” This episode discusses the deterioration of freedoms in Hong Kong and highlights the Chinese government's aggression. Guests include:

  • Josh Rogin, Washington Post Journalist and Columnist

  • Sunny Cheung, Hong Kong activist-in-exile

  • Anna Kwok, Strategy and Campaign Director at Hong Kong Democracy Council

Episode #48 - Lucy Kassa, Ethiopia’s Murky War

In this episode, recorded at the 2022 Oslo Freedom Forum, Ethiopian investigative journalist Lucy Kassa discusses her extensive reporting on the war in Ethiopia, and the power journalism holds to expose human rights abuses. Despite suffering physical intimidation, death threats, and ongoing online trolling and smear campaigns, Kassa continues to report stories that bring attention to the victims of war.

Episodes are available on all major streaming platforms

Bee 1 World with Ukraine

Purpose

This project aims to bridge the opportunity gap for Ukrainian children through outreach, education, and fundraising. Nearly 2 million Ukrainian refugees are staying in Poland, 90% of whom are women and children. Our partnership between IBO, Children of Ukraine Educational Center, and KelseyRae4Peace is a united effort to help Ukrainian youth regain their dignity. Amid the expansion of Russia's war aims, an increasing shortage of opportunities has left refugee families and children in desperate need of resources.

Our campaign goals are three-fold: 1) Outreach — Produce a concert to jump start an active, trusted community to convert them to donors and volunteers. Our target reach is 10,000 members on our social media platforms by December 2022; 2) Education — Throughout the campaign, we will host webinars and trainings on music therapy, refugee access to opportunity via digital assets, and how to provide legal identity for all. With the help of subject matter experts, we aim to educate legal professionals, technologists, and policymakers on the impact of digital identity and instill a sense of fervor to being part of the solution; and 3) Fundraising — Our store will sell digital assets made by vulnerable youth aiming to reach $100,000 to help Ukrainian children regain their opportunity to study and families to regain their dignity.

Goal 1: Outreach with Music & Art

To achieve our first goal and launch the campaign, we will be celebrating Ukrainian Independence Day on August 24th with a live-streamed concert (please see the below poster for more information.)

Goal 2: Education & Training for Legal Identity

The second goal will be achieved by our webinars and trainings to scale impact. With 5 billion people having unmet justice needs around the world, new skill sets will be needed to serve this market. To promote learning through values-aligned interactions, we find it vital to teach strategies and opportunities around the topics of digital assets and legal frameworks in humanitarian settings. Open session dialogues about trusted marketplaces in the metaverse will supplement webinars. As for concrete trainings, the Digital PenPal trainings will enable volunteer PenPals and Verifiers to work effectively with "invisible" youth to identify, locate, and/or create ID Elements, and to facilitate placement of ID Elements into a blockchain with access controlled by the newly "visible" members of society. This is because in order to effectively participate in the world, millions of children without a legal identity (called "invisible") need effective systems to identify them. In November, we will bring together legal, tech, and policy experts at the intersection of human rights, legal frameworks, and education as well as our learners and PenPals for implementing the first frameworks for digital identity, smart contracts, digital assets, and online dispute resolution.

Goal 3: Fundraising with NFTs

Bee 1 World Honeycomb digital marketplace

Last, to achieve the third goal, we aim to use blockchain-based applications for impact. The Bee 1 World Honeycomb is a digital marketplace for crypto collectibles and non-fungible tokens (otherwise known as NFTs) illustrating how young artists see their reality in an accessible and meaningful way while raising awareness about building a justice movement in the new data economy. Our gallery exhibits works of art, photography and music from refugee youth who are showcasing their cultures and portfolios of their homelands such as Ukraine, Zambia, and Syria! By participating in our Bee 1 World Honeycomb marketplace, individuals are enabling youth to continue their studies while helping families regain their dignity. At the same time, these same individuals are gaining digital NFT assets in return that not only enables them to turn this meaningful artwork into a collectible, but they have the authenticity to rent these NFTs, resell them with unlimited royalties, stake them, or even invest and apply them towards our community programming for rewards.

Our approach is centered on building relationships to effect real improvements in people's lives. Our progress is measured through performance metrics defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

About the Partners:

InternetBar.Org Institute

IBO is a 501c3 nonprofit that builds projects which align with information communications technology for development (ICT4D) efforts aiming to increase access to justice. Their award-winning PeaceTones program provides young artists in underserved communities with access to opportunity through its legal resources, mentorship, digital platforms, and song competitions.

Children of Ukraine Educational Center

Children of Ukraine is a start-up secondary charter school and music therapy school for grades 1-11 that aims to service more than 1,000 refugee children in Warsaw who are looking for an opportunity to study but cannot due to capacity restraints in Polish schools. Currently, this school enrolls 150 students and has served 300 alumni.

KelseyRae4Peace

Kelsey Rae has traveled the globe creating music that inspires all generations. While writing “Be One World” in Africa, she sees how impactful music is for all cultures. Though her target audience is the youth, she believes through positive vibrations; we will save our planet and bring hope for a future of peace.

Combatants for Peace: Summer series

Join us on July 27th as we dive deep into the topic of women's leadership across Palestine and Israel, with speakers Nivine Sandouka and Keren Assaf!

Don't miss your chance to attend an exclusive event with the Combatants for Peace leadership! Sign up to be a monthly donor (at any amount) and you will have access to several exclusive events throughout the year. Our next monthly donor briefing is coming up on August 11th, so don't miss this chance to personally connect with CfP leaders! As a special bonus, we will also send you your very own Combatants for Peace t-shirt or tote bag!

Special Report: Ukrainian Refugees and Beit Polska Redevelopment

Special Report: Ukrainian Refugees and Beit Polska Redevelopment, June 26 11:00 AM PST/ 7:00 PM London/ 8 PM Warsaw / 9 PM Israel

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES AND BEIT POLSKA REDEVELOPMENT JUNE  26TH  PRESENTERS:

Dominika Zakrzewska, Executive Director Beit Polska
We are Progressive Jews in Poland committed to building up community infrastructure, catering to the needs of the Jewish community on the ground, engaging in social justice and relief work interventions, and creating a safe space for an expression of contemporary Jewish identity, including the unique perspective of 3rd-generation post-Holocaust Jewish Poles and now, many Ukrainian Jews. This year, we are sponsoring the largest class of people studying to join Judaism in our history. Dominika Zakrzewska, our program coordinator will report about the class and the efforts to build our community.

Jonathan Mills, Founder Beit Warszawa re Childcare for Ukrainian Refugees
Beit Polska has been supporting both Jewish and non-Jewish Ukrainian relief efforts. One of our primary focuses has been helping to create childcare for Ukrainian families in Poland. The small stipend that refugees receive from the state is not enough to live on. Ukrainian mothers in many cases need and want to work. They receive a PESEL (think of a cross between a social security number and a green card) that allows them to work legally. There are jobs available. Unfortunately, even before the war childcare was scarce, and there was no childcare prepared to deal with the emotional trauma that the children are going through. Jonathan Mills, one of the co-founders of Beit Warszawa/Beit Polska is working on behalf of Beit Polska’s Janusz Korczak Childcare project with a team from Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci (Foundation for Child Development) to open 100 child care programs over 100 days. We are supporting this effort financially, through Jonathan’s efforts as well as sponsoring therapists specializing in trauma to Poland to work with the Fundacja Rozwoju Dzieci team.

The Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Day Ceremony

MAY 3RD: 1:30 PM EST

These are people who have experienced loss through conflict, who understand grief and anger, and who have chosen another way. Let’s come together and stand with them.

To watch the ceremony go to our:

Facebook page, where we will be Live

or to our YouTube Channel
or visit our website 

Because of threats to the security and stability of our live broadcast, we have to keep the direct web links under wraps, and will share them with you a couple of hours before the ceremony begins. Plus, due to the volume of viewers as well as possible cyber attacks, web platforms may struggle. We are well prepared for this, and if your viewing is interrupted for any reason, simply switch to a different streaming channel - Facebook may be the most secure.

Directly following the closing of the ceremony, we have eight  Zoom rooms which you are invited to join and hear from a range of speakers. The topics and details are below.

We are once again expecting hundreds of thousands of people from around the world to join us. If this is your first time, expect a profoundly moving experience, and to those of you we see each year, we have missed you! 

We hope that you will join us as we explore the notion of ‘Place’ in Israel and Palestine, and how we can truly unite for a more just, hopeful, and tolerant future.

Zoom Rooms following the ceremony

The live links to each of the rooms will be available on our Facebook page and Website during the ceremony

Room 1: The Place of Compassion

Tuli Flint, a social worker who treats PTSD and CFP’s Israeli general coordinator; and Basaam Aramin, co-founder of CFP, will speak on the meaning of compassion in our lives, and in the work of bi-national organizations who take action to bring peace.

Language: Hebrew | Translation: To Arabic and English

Room 2: The Place of Transformation

Tal Sagi, who grew up in a settlement and served in the Israeli military in Hebron, will speak on her journey from there to her role today, coordinating all education activities in Breaking The Silence.

Language: Hebrew | Translation: To English

Room 3: The Safe Space

Bentzi Banderas served as a combatant in the Israeli military in the West Bank and fought in “Protective Edge”, will speak on his journey which led him to his role in Breaking The Silence as the coordinator for Diaspora Jewry.

Language: English | Translation: To Arabic

Room 4: The Brave Place – the place of dialogue

Scott Rasmussen, CEO of “Hands of Peace”, will talk with the organization’s alumni about the courage to talk and listen to the “other” and about the significance – and limitations – of dialogue.

Language: English | Translation: To Hebrew

Room 5: The Place of Youth

Talia Balaban from Tel Aviv and Sima Awad from Beit Omer, both 18 year old, grew up in bereaved families. We’ll hear from them how they got to Parents Circle Family Forum’s summer camp and how it affected them. Teenagers are especially welcome.

Language: Hebrew and Arabic | Translation: To Hebrew and Arabic

Room 6: Dialogue meeting with Parents Circle Family Forum members

Laila Alsheikh, who lost her baby son, and Tal Kfir Schurr, who lost her sister, tell their personal story and talk about their journey to the PCFF.

Language: English | Translation: To Hebrew

Room 7: Dialogue meeting with Parents Circle Family Forum members

Eytan Amir, who lost his brother, and Ashraf Abu Ayash, who lost his father and grandfather, tell their personal stories, and speak about their journeys who led them to PCFF.

Language: Hebrew | Translation: To Arabic

Room 8: Dialogue meeting with Parents Circle Family Forum members

Yakub Rabi, who lost his wife, and Kamaal Zidane, who lost two sons, tell their personal stories and speak about their journeys that led them to PCFF.

Language: Arabic | Translation: To Hebrew

Nuclear Weapons Today: Physics and Politics

Nuclear Weapons Today: Physics and Politics, April 22 10:30 AM Eastern

The panel will feature experts Alexandre Debs (Yale Department of Political Science) and Lisbeth Gronlund (MIT Laboratory for Nuclear Security and Policy). Attendees will learn about the physics of nuclear weapons and missile defense, key recent innovations, and current political questions—including the challenge of nuclear non-proliferation and dangers posed by the war in Ukraine.

Onsite attendance is limited to members of the Yale community.

After the program, Student Pugwash will host a special viewing of the event video, followed by virtual small group discussions about nuclear weapons policy and risks (date and time TBD). If you are interested in this virtual viewing and discussion, let us know.

The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights: 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy

Support Convisero Mentor Irwin Cotler, the Founder and Chair of The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, at the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy.

The Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights (RWCHR) is proud to co-sponsor, along with leading human rights NGOs from around the world, the 14th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy, taking place on April 6th, 2022.

Tune in live for a discussion on the plight of political prisoners moderated by RWCHR Legal Counsel Yonah Diamond, with Areej Al-Sadhan, activist and sister of Saudi political prisoner Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, Sophie Luo, activist and wife of Chinese political prisoner Ding Jiaxi, Tatsiana Khomich, activist fighting to free Belarus political prisoners including her sister Maria Kalesnikava, and Mariam Claren, daughter of jailed political prisoner in Iran Nahid Taghavi.

See here for the full program.

RefugePoint: Centering Refugee Voices in Humanitarian Response and Philanthropy

Join Convisero Mentor and President of RefugePoint Sasha Chanoff and other distinguished refugee and philanthropic voices in two panels on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 11 am EDT.

By 2050, a billion people may be forcibly displaced. $30 billion a year is spent on humanitarian aid today. Yet recipients have virtually no say in its use, a fact that perpetuates paternalism and inequality. As part of the Skoll World Forum Eco-System Day, RefugePoint is hosting a two-part moderated discussion that brings together refugee and philanthropic voices to discuss strategies for centering refugees in programmatic and philanthropic responses.

This event will have two 45-minute panels. Composed of former refugees, Panel #1 will flip the narrative of victimhood and define refugees more fully. Moderated by Farah Mohamed, former CEO, Malala Fund, and current RefugePoint board member. Building on the first discussion, Panel #2 brings together philanthropic and nonprofit leaders to discuss eco system funding and other programmatic and funding strategies that center refugee and community voices. Moderated by Sasha Chanoff, Founder and CEO, RefugePoint. Moderators will also invite audience participation to highlight best practices.

Speakers include:

Nasra Ismail, Senior Director, Global Strategy, Giving Tuesday Bahati Ernestine, Consultant/Advocate, RefugePoint/Economic Mobility Pathways ProjectLina Tori Jan, Public Speaker/Advocate/Founder, Chai wa Dastan/UNICEFKaren Ansara, Founder, Network of Engaged International Donors (NEID) Sana Mustafa, Director of Partnership and Engagement, Asylum Access: Resourcing Refugee Leadership Initiative

RefugePoint: Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility

Join Convisero Mentor and RefugePoint’s Founder and CEO Sasha Chanoff in a panel discussion on The Transformative Potential of Refugee Labour Mobility Pathways on Wednesday, April 6, at 3:00 pm EDT.

Across the globe, millions of people are displaced and in need of a safe, permanent place to call home. Labour complementary pathways allow people to enter or stay in another country through safe and regulated avenues for purposes of employment, with the right to either permanent or temporary residence. Sasha Chanoff, RefugePoint’s Founder and CEO, will participate in a panel discussion on The Transformative Potential of Refugee Labour Mobility Pathways during the virtual launch of the Global Task Force on Refugee Labour Mobility. RefugePoint and other founding Task Force members will provide an introduction to the goals of the Global Task Force, discuss the value of expanding labour pathways accessible to refugees, and invite interested stakeholders to become involved.

Event highlights will include addresses from The Honourable Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship; Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; and Ms. Bahati Ernestine, Economic Mobility Consultant (RefugePoint) and a Continuing Care Assistant (Glen Haven Manor) who immigrated to Canada as a health worker via Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP).

Please confirm your attendance by registering via Zoom by Monday, April 4. 

Ukraine and the Future of Arms Control: A conversation with Michael Krepon

March 26, 2022, 1:00pm EST

Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine comes at a time when every state possessing nuclear weapons is modernizing or plans to modernize its nuclear forces. One by one, arms control treaties have been discarded. Essential norms, including the norm against waging aggressive war as well as humanitarian laws of warfare have been disregarded. We live in a deeply disheartening time. But opportunities exist in in every crisis. Let’s discuss this war, how something truly awful might to turned into something good, and steps we might take to change course.

Michael Krepon is the author of Winning and Losing the Nuclear Peace: The Rise, Demise, and Revival of Arms Control, a much-needed contemporary analysis of the role arms control played in "winning" the nuclear peace. It could hardly come at a more important time. Join Mr. Krepon and Student Pugwash USA for an interactive and engaging discussion, and hear what hope might still remain to rebuild the nuclear peace.

Additional information: <https://www.studentpugwash.org/krepon-talk>

Registration for the event: <https://na.eventscloud.com/krepon-mar26>

UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL POLITICAL VIOLENCE: REVIEW OF 2021

Understanding Global Political Violence

Review of 2021

Building on the success of this year’s review of 2020, CPOST researchers and guests will presents findings and insights into political violence across the globe. Importantly, subsequent discussions will focus on practical implications, strategies, and policies.

Date: February 23 &24, 2022 

Location: Virtual event.

Agenda: 

  • Global trends in political violence — what the evidence tells us

    • Militant attacks and threat analysis

    • Pandemic effect on terrorism

  • Arabic Propaganda Analysis — what terrorists are saying and why

    • Tracking and understanding jihadist videos

    • Scriptural Reasoning as a rhetorical tool

  • American Political Violence — implications for the Middle East and beyond

    • Diminished capacity overseas

    • Reframing counter-terrorism efforts

Special Workshop 

  • Deep dive into data, processes, and findings

    • CPOST Arabic Propaganda Analysis Team (APAT) conducts two in-depth workshops: one in Arabic, the other in English.

Timing

Speakers

Prof. Robert Pape + Researchers

Prof. Paul Poast

H.E. Dr. Ali Al Nuaimi is a Member of the UAE Federal National Council for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Defense Affairs, Interior & Foreign Affairs Committee at the Council. (TBC)

Ambassador Douglas A. Silliman

President, AGSIW (TBC)


Previous event: https://vimeo.com/510360212

The Fight against Antisemitism in America

The Fight against Antisemitism in America

featuring Peter Beinart
in conversation with & interviewed by,
CfPeace Board member, Nizar Farsakh
Antisemitism has been on a dangerous and startling rise recently in the United States. Join Peter Beinart in this open and honest conversation on how to dismantle the prejudice/violence against Jews in the USA, while simultaneously amplifying the work for freedom/equality for Palestinians. Together we will addresses critical issues: When is criticizing Israel antisemitism? When, how and where should we draw the lines? When is antisemitism weaponized to silence the Palestinian resistance? What about anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian prejudice? How can we overcome fear and prejudice and lift each other up in the journey to collective liberation?
This panel discussion will highlight all of these difficult questions and more.
August 12
8:30pm ET / 5:30pm PT

Register

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Resisting Israel’s Attacks on Palestine

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Webinar at 7 pm CT, Wednesday, August 4, 2021

The ugly truth of what is happening to Palestinians  in the West Bank and Gaza has been effectively hidden by media silence. Israelis don’t want to  look and the West doesn’t know. The Israeli  Defense Force (IDF) and police protect and  reinforce attacks by “settlers” which are  increasingly vicious and frequent. Israeli courts,  police and settlers have worked with the IDF and Civil Administration for de facto annexation of most of the West Bank. What is happening to Palestinians exemplifies colonialism  throughout the world.

Hear from ...  

·              BOB SUBERI, Veterans For Peace, Green Party of St. Louis. 

·              ZAKI BARUTI, Universal African Peoples Organization, Green Party of Missouri.

·              AWDAH HATHALEEN, Palestinian Activist, Victim of home demolition. 

·              YONATAN SHAPIRA, Former Israeli Air Force pilot.

 

Moderator MADELYN HOFFMAN is Co-chair of the Green Party Peace Action Committee. 

 

Please register for the program when you receive this.

Registration details: The webinar is NO COST, but you need to REGISTER to attend.

 

Click HERE to Register for Webinar or copy link into your browser: 

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUod-GurzkpHtGy08Z9Cl1R5E3Ll_O-ZO7e

 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on joining the meeting.

 

Bob Suberi, the son of immigrants from Jerusalem, is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Israel, a Vietnam War veteran and a member of the Green Party of St. Louis. He spent three months living in a Palestinian village from March to June, 2021. He is currently active in Veterans For Peace, St. Louis Green Party and Friends of Bethlehem St. Louis. 

 

Zaki Baruti is President/General of the Universal African Peoples Organization and was the 2000 Green Party Candidate for Missouri Governor. He has been a TV host, radio host and a decades-long leader in St. Louis area struggles against police violence. He publishes the African Newsworld and is a retired educator and author of educational booklets. 

 

Awdah Hathaleen, a Palestinian activist in Umm Al Khair, South Hebron Hills, is a victim of house demolition and organized rebuilding a community center demolished twice. He is an English teacher and the inspiration behind a village library and a campaign to educate preschoolers. He assists Palestinians who are forced to work and sometimes sleep far from where they live.

 

Yonatan Shapira is a former Israeli captain and Air Force pilot. He was one of the organizers of a 2003 letter signed by 27 Air Force pilots who refused to participate in Israeli military operations against Palestinians. Shapira has also signed onto the internal Israeli movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) known as “Boycott from Within.”

 

Madelyn Hoffman has been a lifelong activist for peace/environmental justice and is aProfessor of Political Science and Public Speaking. She is the 2021 NJ Green Party Candidate for Governor and Co-chair of the Green Party Peace Action Committee.

 

www.gateway-greens.org For more info, call 314-727-8554

 

Co-sponsors include: African People’s Socialist Party, Attack the System, American Muslims for Palestine, Black Community Control of the Police, Broome Tioga Green Party, Georgia Green Party, Green Party Albuquerque Metro Area, Green Party of Kansas City (MO), Green Party Peace Action Committee, Green Party of St. Louis, Green Party of Texas, Green Party of Washington State, Green Party of Yavapai County, Green Social Thought, Hampton Roads Green Party (VA), Illinois Green Party, Kansas Green Party, Lynne Stewart Organization, Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party, Missouri Green Party, Mobilization Against War and Occupation (Vancouver), New Abolitionist Movement, North Carolina Green Party, Organization for Black Struggle, St. Louis Friends of Bethlehem, Universal African Peoples Organization, Veterans For Peace, Wisconsin Green Party, Young Ecosocialists

Human Security, Violence, and Trauma

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Register here:

The Human Security, Violence, and Trauma Conference, generously funded by the IGCC Academic Conference grant, will bring together researchers from various disciplines—including political science, psychology, neuroscience, and public health—and practitioners working in the field for a two-day seminar on the implications of conflict and forced migration.

It will provide an opportunity to create connections and spark conversations across fields in previously underexplored ways, offering theoretical, methodological, and practical insights into vital questions of conflict recurrence and peace stability, with the goal of advancing scholarship and informing policy on how living through war impacts human behavior.

Attendance is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Links to all events will be distributed via emails collected through registration.

SCHEDULE, all times listed in EST

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

  • 11:00am - 11:15am: Welcome and Agenda Setting

  • 11:15am - 12:15pm: The Legacy of Trauma in the Mind and the Body (Panel)

  • 12:30pm - 1:30pm: Keynote Presentation by Dr. Daphna Canetti

  • 1:45pm - 2:45pm: Grounding the Human Experience of Trauma (Panel)

  • 2:45 pm - 3:15pm: Coffee Break & Networking

  • 3:15pm - 4:15pm: Research Design & Methodological Challenges (Working Group)

  • 4:30pm - 5:30pm: Experiencing Violence & Post-Conflict Outcomes (Panel)

  • 5:30pm - 6:00pm: Open Chat

Thursday, May 27, 2021

  • 10:00am - 11:00am: Trauma and its Impact on Human Behaviors (Panel 4)

  • 11:15am - 12:15pm: Mental Health Realities and Treatments in the Field (Panel)

  • 12:15pm - 1:00pm: Coffee Break & Networking

  • 1:00pm - 2:00pm: Brains, Bodies, Violence, & Groups (Panel)

  • 2:15pm - 3:15pm: Keynote Presentation by Dr. Wendy D’Andrea

  • 3:30pm - 4:30pm: Practical Implications for Peace Building (Working Group)

  • 4:30pm - 5:30pm: Closing & Networking

SPEAKERS

  • Adeyinka M. Akinsulure-Smith, Professor of Psychology at the City College of New York, the City University of New York (CUNY) and at the Graduate Center, CUNY

  • Mohammad Al-Rajabi, Facilitator – The Field Guide for Barefoot Psychology, Questscope

  • Adam Brown, Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical) and Vice Provost for Research, The New School

  • Daphna Canetti, Professor of Political Psychology and Head of the School of Political Science, University of Haifa

  • Wendy D’Andrea, Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical), The New School

  • Rana Dajani, Professor of Biology and Biotechnology, Hashemite University in Jordan, Founder and Director of We Love Reading

  • Justine M. Davis, LSA Collegiate Fellow in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, University of Michigan

  • Heidi Ellis, Director, Trauma and Community Resilience Center at Boston Children’s Hospital; Associate Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

  • Mohamed Elshazly, Consultant Psychiatrist

  • Melanie Greenberg, Managing Director of Peacebuilding & Conflict Transformation, Humanity United

  • Biz Herman, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science, University of California – Berkeley

  • Rebecca Littman, Assistant Professor of Social & Personality Psychology, University of Illinois Chicago

  • Brian P. Marx, Deputy Director, Behavioral Science Division, National Center for PTSD

  • Aila Matanock, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California – Berkeley

  • Rose McDermott, David and Marianna Fisher University Professor of International Relations, Brown University

  • Yuval Neria, Professor of Medical Psychology and Director of PTSD Research and Treatment Program, Columbia University, Department of Psychiatry and New York State Psychiatric Institute

  • Mike Niconchuk, Program Director, Beyond Conflict

  • Betsy Levy Paluck, Professor of Psychology & Public Affairs, Princeton University

  • Phuong N. Pham, Assistant Professor and Director of Evaluation and Implementation Science, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

  • Tim Phillips, Founder & CEO, Beyond Conflict

  • Andrew Rasmussen, Associate Professor of Psychology, Director of MS Program in Applied Psychological Methods at Fordham University

  • Richard Tedeschi, Distinguished Chair, Boulder Crest Institute for Posttraumatic Growth

  • Patrick Vinck, Director of Research, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative; Assistant Professor in the Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

  • Rebecca Wolfe, Lecturer, Harris School of Public Policy/ University of Chicago

  • Lauren Young, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of California – Davis

DISCUSSANTS

  • Nana Amoh, Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology, The Graduate Center (CUNY)/John Jay College of Criminal Justice

  • Laura Curren, Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology, Boston University

  • Trisha Dehrone, Ph.D. Student in Social Psychology, Psychology of Peace and Violence Program University of Massachusetts – Amherst

  • Aidan Milliff, Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science and Security Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Beatrice Montano, Ph.D. Student in Political Science, Columbia University

  • Alix Simonson, Ph.D. Candidate in Clinical Psychology, PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium

  • Peter Onah Thompson, Public Policy Ph.D. Candidate, University of North Carolina – Charlotte